Sunday, January 1, 2012

"DownBeat" - January 2012

COVER
3 Cohens -- For the 3 Cohens, the concepts of music and family are intertwined. The 3 Cohens are the amazingly talented siblings Anat Cohen (tenor saxophone and clarinet), Avishai Cohen (trumpet) and Yuval Cohen (soprano saxophone). They have a fantastic new CD, which is appropriately titled Family.

FEATURES
Best CDs of 2011 -- A New Year's celebration of DownBeat's 5-star, 4-1/2-star and 4-star CD reviews from the past 12 months.

Peter Brötzmann -- German saxophonist Peter Brötzmann, who turned 70 in March, remains in peak form and in high demand. He is a prolific titan of freejazz who has won respect around the globe.

John Scofield -- The virtuoso guitarist's latest CD, "A Moment's Peace," has earned tremendous praise from critics, including a 4-star review in DownBeat.

Special Section: Jazz School -- DownBeat examines a wide spectrum of jazz education topics within this study guide designed to challenge students and professional players alike.

· Jim Snidero -- A profile of musician Jim Snidero, who is currently on faculty at the New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music, recently released an album for Savant and has produced standout texts for music educators.
· JodyJazz -- The mouthpiece company endorses and equips an award-winning middle school jazz band.
· Siena Jazz Camp -- The Italian integrated jazz workshop immersed 100 students in intensive workshops and combos conducted by such stellar faculty as Eric Harland, Miguel Zenón, Avishai Cohen and others.

JAZZ ON CAMPUS
· A glimpse at Seattle arts magnet Garfield High School and their award-winning, touring jazz program.

WOODSHED
· Master Class: Organist Dr. Lonnie Smith
· Transcription: Charles Mingus' bass solo on "Dizzy Moods" from the album "Mingus Three" (Blue Note, 1957)
· Pro Session: Guitarist Joel Harrison

TOOLSHED
· Yamaha Custom Z soprano sax
· RAD Golden Age compressor
· Audix DP-Quad drum microphones
· Fishman Loudbox Artist amp

GEAR BOX
· PG Music Band-In-A-Box version 2011.5
· Alesis Cadenza digital piano
· Overtone Labs Tune-Bot drum tuner
· Beyerdynamic Touring Gear series mics
· Schilke B-flat flugelhorn
· Gretsch G6120 Eddie Cochran Signature hollow-body guitar

PLAYERS
Dan Tepfer (piano)
Rahsaan Barber (saxophone)
Ali Ryerson (flute)
Ingrid Laubrock (saxophone)

BLINDFOLD TEST -- Eric Reed

THE BEAT
· Tea Lounge and the big-band scene in New York City
· Miles Davis Experience Tour featuring Ambrose Akinmusire
· Sonny Rollins at UCLA
· Vinyl Freak

REVIEWS - Hot Box
· Bill Frisell, All We Are Saying... (Savoy)
· Charles Lloyd/Maria Farantouri, Athens Concert (ECM)
· David Murray Cuban Ensemble Plays Nat King Cole En Español (Motéma)
· Amir ElSaffar, Inana (Pi Recordings)

CD Reviews
· Chico Hamilton, Revelation (Joyous Shout)
· George Benson, Guitar Man (Concord)
· Gilad Hekselman, Hearts Wide Open (Chant De Monde)
· Jeff Gauthier, Open Source (Cryptogramophone)
· Eldar Djangirov, Three Stories (Sony Masterworks)
· Dave Valentin, Pure Imagination (HighNote) w/ Bill O'Connell, Triple Play Plus Three (Zoho)
· Uri Caine Trio, Siren (Winter & Winter)
· Jason Hwang, Crossroads Unseen (Euonymus) w/ Spontaneous River (Mulatta)
· Jean-Michel Pilc/Francois Moutin/Ari Hoenig, Threedom (Motéma)
· Phil Woods and Bill Mays, Phil & Bill (Palmetto)
· Andrew Cyrille & Haitian Fascination, Route De Fréres (Tum)
· Ted Rosenthal Trio, Out Of This World (Playscape)
· Side A (Ken Vandermark, Havard Wiik, Chad Taylor), A New Margin (Clean Feed)
· Oscar Peñas, From Now On (BJU)
· Jeff Coffin & The Mu'Tet, Live! (Ear Up)
· Le Boeuf Brothers, In Praise Of Shadows (self release)
· Ballaké Sissoko & Vincent Segal, Chamber Music (Six Degrees)
· Houston Person, So Nice (HighNote)
· Enoch Smith Jr., Misfits (self release)
· René Marie, Black Lace Freudian Slip (Motéma)
· Joan Stiles, Three Musicians (Oo-Bla-Dee)
· Curtis Fuller, The Story Of Cathy And Me (Challenge)
· Larry Coryell, With The Wide Hive Players (Wide Hive)
· Westchester Jazz Orchestra, Maiden Voyage Suite (WJO Productions)
· Alan Pasqua, Twin Bill (BFM Jazz)

Jazz Column
· Ozan Musluoglu, 40th Day (Equinox)
· Çagri Sertel Trio, Newborn (Pozitif)
· Selen Gülün, Answers (Pozitif)
· Alp Ersönmez, Yazisiz (Pozitif)
· Serdar Barçin, Barbun (Babajim Sounds)
· BaBa ZuLa, Gecekondu (Essay)

Blues Column
· C.J. Chenier, Can't Sit Down (World Village)
· Kenny Wayne Shepherd, How I Go (Roadrunner)
· Samba Touré, Crocodile Blues (Riverboat)
· Julius Pitman & the Revival, Live Tonight! (EllerSoul)
· Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears, Scandalous (Lost Highway)
· Alberta Hunter, Downhearted Blues Live At The Cookery (Rock Beat)
· Various Artists, R&B Hip-Shakers Vol. 2-Scratch That Itch (VampiSoul)
· Barrence Whitfield and the Savages, Savage Kings (Munster)

Beyond Column
· Charles Gerhardt, Classic Film Scores series (Sony Masterworks)

Historical Column
· Wes Montgomery, Movin': The Complete Verve Recordings (Hip-O Select)

Book Review Column
· Tad Hershorn, Norman Granz: The Man Who Used Jazz For Justice (University of California Press)

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